Ocean Bottles, Built-to-Last Gear, and Beating Overconsumption: In Conversation with Jack Ventura of Faro Board Bags

“Building things that are made to last is the most sustainable thing you can do. If you make something once and make it well, you don’t incur the environmental impacts of making it again and again.” – Jack Ventura

For Jack Ventura, founder of Faro Board Bags, ocean conservation isn’t an abstract corporate goal – it’s personal. Coming from a hunting and fishing background, Jack grew up understanding the direct connection between healthy ecosystems and human survival.

When he founded Faro, Jack set out to tackle one of the surf industry’s biggest hidden problems: cheap, throwaway gear driving overconsumption. By converting ocean-bound plastic bottles into rugged, timeless surfboard bags, Faro proves that durability is the ultimate form of sustainability.

We caught up with Jack to talk about upcycling ocean plastic, creating gear built to last, and why making things right the first time keeps waste out of our seas.

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Snapshot Profile

• Name: Jack Ventura
• Role: Founder, Designer, & Maker at Faro Board Bags
• Base: San Diego, California
• Specialism: Sustainable Board Bags & Rugged Coastal Travel Gear
• Impact Metric: Upcycling 25+ plastic bottles per board bag using 100% recycled RPET canvas

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The Interview

Why is conserving and protecting the oceans so important to you?

Jack: Protect and conserving the ocean is so important because it’s our playground as surfers – it’s where we play and surf, and for those of us working in the surf industry, it’s where we work.

Coming from a family that fishes and hunts, the ocean is also where we get our food. It’s important to conserve it and make sure it’s here for our generation, our kids’ generation, and our grandkids.

Ultimately, the ocean is the heart of the Earth – it helps everything survive and thrive. It’s our responsibility to take care of it the same way it takes care of us.

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What is Faro doing that actively supports ocean health?

Jack: At Faro, we make all of our surfboard bags out of recycled polyester (RPET canvas).

That recycled polyester is made from upcycled plastic bottles that are pulled directly out of the ocean and waterways, specifically around Indonesia. Each board bag we make repurposes at least 25 or more plastic bottles, depending on the length of the bag.

By turning ocean-bound waste into heavy-duty canvas, we keep plastic out of marine habitats while creating gear built for rugged coastal abuse.

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What can the surfing industry specifically do better to support ocean health?

Jack: As a whole, the surf industry actually does a pretty good job of at least trying to support ocean health. We all do things that aren’t perfect, but compared to other global industries, surfing is on the forefront of thinking about its environmental footprint.

That said, the single most important thing the surf industry can do is make products that are built to last.

If you make something well once, you don’t have to make it again – which means you don’t incur all the environmental impacts that come from manufacturing a replacement. And if high-quality gear stays in your quiver, in your closet, and in your repertoire, it won’t end up in landfills or breaking down into microplastics in our oceans. Building things made to last is the most sustainable thing any brand can do.

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Final Thought

Jack: “Gear that is built better, looks better, and lasts longer naturally becomes part of your journey for a long time. Make it right, make it last, and protect the ocean that takes care of us.”